West Indian Ocean Coelacanth

West Indian Ocean Coelacanth line art illustration (click image
to enlarge)

West Indian Ocean Coelacanth full color illustration (click image to
enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The
West Indian Ocean Coelacanth was completed on 1.4.2013. As I approach
1000 animal drawings (I'm currently on about 750) I'm taking more and
freedoms as to the species I draw. I've known about the Coelacanth for
many years, how it was "discovered" off the coast of Africa when it
was thought to have gone extinct millions of years ago. A recent video
posted by National Geographic inspired me to draw one. The inking took
about three days and the digital tinting another one. I'm pretty happy
with the results.

Information about the West Indian Ocean Coelacanth:

The West Indian Ocean Coelacanth is one of two extant species of
coelacanth. This fish is well known for being a "living fossil" as
one was found in 1938, and was a commonly held belief that the
animal had gone extinct millions of years ago. They are large fish,
growing to over six feet (three meters) weighing about 200 pounds
(80 kilograms) Because the coelacanth is such an ancient life form,
they are more closely related to lungfish, reptiles and mammals they
are are to the common ray-finned fish. The fish is so rare that when Hendrik Goosen, the captain of the trawler Nerine
who discovered the coelacanth would have to look for a decade to
find another one. The species is considered critically endangered
and there may be a few as 500 individuals in the wild.

Description: Fine art illustration of a West Indian
Ocean Coelacanth. The print is hand-signed by the artist and is guaranteed
to arrive in perfect condition. The reproduction of this original pen
and ink drawing is done on high quality acid-free archival paper. Call
1 800-913-7906 for more information or to order by phone. Click here
for
shipping info.

A high res digital version of this image may be purchased and downloaded.
The artwork may also be licensed for commercial use such as advertising,
packaging, displays and other printed materials.Class: SarcopterygiiOrder: CoelacanthiformesFamily: LatimeriidaeGenus: LatimeriaSpecies: L. chalumnae